SUNTEP and FNUC students hear education is road to reconciliation

Poulin said the SUNTEP program does a great job laying the foundation for the future teachers and so he is already feeling well prepared for what lies ahead.

“I think going through that direction as showing it’s an honor to do that, I think it takes a lot of that weight off our shoulders.”

Down the street at the FNUC, students are hearing from guest speakers discussing a wide range of topics including justice from Crown Prosecutor Robyn Ermine and the role of education in reconciliation.

In her opening remarks, Executive Director Trina Joseph told the students Sept. 30th is a significant day to honor residential school survivors, share those stories, and to look at what reconciliation means to each person.

“And I hope that at the end of the day, you guys kind of have some things to think about. And remember that this is part of our history and share that this is part of our history.”

(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

Students from the PA Multicultural Council, who come from Ukraine and Nigeria, were asked to share their own experiences with colonialism. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

NDTR was officially recognized as a federal statutory holiday in Canada on June 3, 2021. Joseph explained, at first, her father struggled with recognizing the day. As a survivor, he questioned why the public would want to take the time to remember the things that happened to former residential school students.

“And he really struggled with that, and then my mom who is his go-to for everything talked to him and then he was reminded that we want to share our stories…we want to share a truth. This is our history. Our kids are here for our reason, our grandkids are here for our reasons because we survived it. You know, it’s about resilience,” she said.

Elder Suzy Bear from Muskoday First Nation was invited to attend and for 13 years worked at the FNUC library. With respect to the federal government’s commitments to increase awareness and create reconciliation, she said it’s a little slow, and she believes a lot of that has to do with funding.

“I wish it would speed up a bit, you know, because some of our people really need that help,” she said.

Using Jordan’s Principle as an example, Bear noted a number of grant cutbacks.

“You know it paid for education assistance and extra help for our children that need extra help in class, you know, so there’s that part of it. And that’s the part that bothers me, because I always like to see our children succeed.”

“Finnegan” was very excited to join Friday’s SUNTEP walk. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff) participated

When speaking with youth, Bear said she always asks them if they have finished their degrees.

“To me education is so important. That’s how we’re going to move forward. That’s our new buffalo,” she said.

Bear’s family is from George Gordon First Nation and she recalled her own mother, who was forced to stop attending school around Grade 8 to help out on the family farm, always encouraged her children to make something of themselves and to get an education.

“And my two grandfathers were also big on education. They always told us to get an education. So all of us in our family, the girls especially, we all have one or two degrees, one has the PhD…my brothers all have journeyman tickets,” she said.

Several NDTR events are taking place across Saskatchewan.

On Sept. 30, Pattison Media radio stations across the province will once again participate in ‘A Day to Listen.’ It aims to leverage the power of radio to enact real change and continue to set a course for a more equitable future. We invite you to tune in to your local Pattison Media radio station that day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. to hear stories and interviews with Indigenous community leaders, Knowledge Keepers, Elders, experts, and more on what brought us to this moment and where we can go from here. You can also visit a page we have dedicated to NDTR news coverage and information.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell

by Nigel Maxwell

SUNTEP and FNUC students hear education is road to reconciliation

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